How to Make the Viral Cotton Slime from TikTok

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Get the newest no-glue fluffy slime with tips from slime experts

Co-authored by Liz Park and Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: August 27, 2025 Fact Checked

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Cotton Slime Recipe

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Playing with Cotton Slime

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Storage

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More Slime Recipes

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Cotton slime is TikTok’s latest take on no-glue slime—it’s recently gone viral, and for good reason! In a nutshell, cotton slime mixes soap with any type of cotton stuffing. Like, the type of cotton stuffing you might find inside certain pillows…or your favorite teddy bear (although we prefer the former). The end result is a fluffy, soft, stretchy, and ASMR-worthy slime with very few ingredients involved! Read the recipe below to make your very own cotton slime, along with tips from slime experts on slime play and storage.

Cotton Slime: Quick Steps

Slime expert Liz Park explains that cotton slime is very sticky, so put slime activator (like contact solution) on your hands before mixing or playing with it. To make cotton slime:

Place cotton stuffing or cotton balls inside a bowl.
Squeeze a few spoonfuls of soap or shampoo over the cotton.
Add some food coloring for colored slime (optional).
Stir the ingredients until just combined.
Pick up the slime and work it with your hands until you’re happy with its fluffy texture.
If the slime’s too slimy or dry, add more cotton or soap, respectively.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Make Cotton Slime

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1
Gather your ingredients: soap, cotton stuffing, and food coloring. To make cotton slime, you need very few ingredients—you can even make this slime without glue! To get your ingredients ready, you’ll need any type of soap. Shampoo even works in a pinch! Then, you’ll need any type of fluffy cotton stuffing. You could use the inside of a (cotton) pillow, the inside of a stuffed animal, or even a bag of cotton balls.^{[1]
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- Optionally, get some food coloring if you want to dye your slime a certain color.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Amy Sheree is a slime expert and the founder of Amma Slimes, an online slime retailer that sells a variety of slime types and textures.

Angelina Ly is a slime expert and entrepreneur who launched her slime startup (Fireflyslime) at just 14 years old before accumulating over 520k followers across her social media channels.

Liz Park is a slime expert who owns and operates Slimey Pallets, an independent online marketplace that sells slime, slime-making supplies, fidget toys, and other fun knick-knacks for all ages.

Summer Ames is a slime expert and the founder of Slime Community, and she also patented the Slime Baking Kit, a non-edible sensory kit made with slime-making ingredients that look exactly like real baking components.
To make an average amount of slime for one person, grab a normal-sized bowl (like the type you’d use for eating). Place your cotton stuffing inside the bowl. There’s not a precise amount of cotton for you to use, but we’d recommend filling the bowl until it’s full—you can always add more cotton later!

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Squirt a few spoonfuls of soap over the cotton. Take your soap or shampoo—any kind works—and squeeze it over the bowl of cotton. Again, there’s not a specific amount of soap to put in. However, we recommend a few squeezes, like topping a bowl of ice cream with chocolate syrup. The ratio between cotton and soap will be balanced out in future steps.^{[2]
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- If you want to add food coloring to your slime, add a few drops into the bowl now.
Take a spoon, stirring stick, or other clean utensil. Use this item to mix your ingredients together until just combined. Then, pick the slime up with your hands and continue to work and mix the slime until you’ve reached your desired texture. The longer you mix, the fluffier your slime will become!^{[3]
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If you’re not completely happy with the texture of your cotton slime, add a bit more of either main ingredient. If your slime is too sticky, fold in some more cotton stuffing. If your slime is too stiff or cotton-like, add in some more soap.

Section 2 of 4:

How to Play with Cotton Slime

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Play with cotton slime by using your fingertips in a “tapping” motion. Cotton slime is very messy, tacky, and sticky to play with. When it comes to very sticky slimes, slime expert Amy Sheree recommends “playing with them by using your fingertips, rather than your palms. Think of these as ‘tapping slimes,’ instead of something you hold.”^{[4]
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Amy Sheree
Slime Expert

Expert Interview}
- You can also “spray some activator on your hands before touching the slime,” says slime expert Liz Park.^{[5]
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  Liz Park
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  Expert Interview} A slime activator could be a bit of soap, a Borax mixture, or some contact solution.
- “Having clean hands is also essential when playing with slime,” adds slime expert Summer Ames. “Dirty or dry hands make the slime stick more, whereas clean, moisturized hands ensure a better experience.”^{[6]
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  Summer Ames
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Store Cotton Slime

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Cotton slime is relatively easy to store—just pop it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Slime expert Angelina Ly recommends “airtight plastic jars, [which] work best because slime dries out if exposed to air.” Then, keep it in a relatively cool and dry place that’s “out of direct sunlight, as heat can melt it,” continues Ly.^{[7]
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Angelina Ly
Slime Expert

Expert Interview} However, you don’t need to keep it in a fridge or freezer, unlike some other slime types!

Section 4 of 4:

More Slime Recipes

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Want more slime in your life? We don’t blame you! Slime can be pleasantly addictive to play with, and it’s super fun to explore all of the many textures of slime. Here are some other amazingly easy slime tutorials to DIY your own ASMR tool:
- How to Make Fluffy Slime
- How to Make Edible Slime
- How to Make Clear Slime
- How to Make Nickelodeon Slime
- How to Make Cloud Slime
- How to Make Glossy Slime
- How to Make Butter Slime
- How to Make Water Slime
- Looking for the inside scoop on the best way to make slime? Check out this wikiHow forum to chat with other slime-loving readers!